Well-known Member

Hmmm interesting question. I had a 9800pro and recently replaced it with a 6800GT.

To be honest I dont see the "massive" improvement these cards are supposed to bring.

The only time ive ever seen a huge improvement was when i replaced my old GForce 3 with a GForce 4 when i was playing Unreal II. The difference was amazing and very easy to see. However, when i built the PC im using now I also bought the 9800pro and TBH I didnt feel it was all that different from my old PC. (which i still use)

Im sure a top of the line rig will get amazing scores in benchmarks like 3D Mark, but visually i think there is not much difference.

Well-known Member

i think going from a 9800pro to a 6800gt is a big difference. the 9800 is no were near as powerfull as the 6800gt. but like sinzer said you might be better of waiting for the x700 or 6600. they will be in your price range.

Well-known Member

I think there's only about a 10% difference between a 9700pro and a 9800pro iirc. I went from a 9700pro to a 6800gt and the difference is incredible Coupled to the fact I've now upgraded to an A64 3500+ too the GT now flies (no cpu bottleneck) and clocked to ultra speeds (400/1100) plays all games at ridiculess resolutions and graphics detail. I can run the HL2 stress test @1600x1200 on highest detail, AA & AF with vsync on and still get around 80fps

AVForums FounderStaff Member

You know, I don't think ATI are doing themselves any favours by having such a confusing plethora of video cards on offer.
Seems like they have to offer cards at every conceivable price point.
Anyhow I upgraded from a 9600 to an X800 XT when I built myself a new machine last weekend. I can justify one new machine very couple of years and I'm dead happy having gone the Intel route.
I use the card for UO multiplayer.
Previously I was running at 1024x768 with medium graphics setting and getting from 45-60 fps.
Now I am running at 1600x1200 with everything up full and getting 150 fps.
Awesome.

Home cinema and gadget enthusiast, movie and TV fan and PC gamer.
See the construction of the AVForums home cinema.
Ex biker, ex RCMA flier, drummer and antitheist. Programming computers since 1979.

Well-known Member

TBH the GT is the best value for money card imo. Most clock to ultra speeds out of the box (save £100 over the ultra) and perform like a dream compared to the 9700 pro. You'll be able to have all the eye candy switched on even @high resolutions The x800 pro is not as good imo at this price point and you have to mod the card to open all the pipes (only 12 against the gt's 16 iirc). it is also more cpu dependant compared to the GT I have been led to beleive.If you've got money to burn though the x800 xt is the best card around but they're very hard to find.
If you want to purchase a GT I'd either recomend the Leadtek (I have one and can report they're pretty quiet <30db and cool but take up a pci slot as they're HUGE) or the xfx. A GT is worth the extra if gaming is a serious hobby

Guest

I was going to upgrade my graphics before crimbo, but now I've decided to wait for SLI and do a whole new system early next year. This one is going to cost a bit I fear!

I'll be putting 2 6800 GT's under the hood with an AMD 64 processor and at least a gig of RAM sitting in an NForce4 mobo. I've yet to decide on the sound but it's looking like Creative Audigy 2 series after I found out that all NVidia will ofer on the NF4 is a basic 7.1 codec. Oops there goes a grand already

Active Member

as a simple comparison: yes the new PCI is faster than AGP, the issues are does the memory transfer fill that bandwith - does any of the software use that feature (i.e. store textures in ram cos' vid-ram finished!) - the anwers are NO and ALMOST NONE.

if you're happy with your current CPU don't bother changing mobo just to get PCI express - get the AGP version. if on the other hand you need to upgrade the cpu might as well get the mobo and new pci vid-card (at least of upgradability's sake!)

Well-known Member

I am happy with my P4 2.8, it's perfectly ok, at least I have not played on faster so don't know what I may be missing, but essentially it seems to offer the performance I need for all apps.

I take it the PCI express slots are actually different to the PCI slots that all motherboards have and I can't buy a PCI express X800XT (for future proofing) then put it in the PCI slot and simply only get PCI performance as opposed to PCI express performance?

Well-known Member

These newer cards are harder to find. I had a lot of trouble finding one. I bought mine while I was on holls in the US. I got it from "best buy" for $400 (6800GT 256MB) Thats only about 200quid. If you are willing you should try to get it thru an American company that does international shipping.

I still dont understand why you guys still pay british prices for the xact same product.

With a PC card there are no "region" issues so it dont matter where u get it from.

Well-known Member

These newer cards are harder to find. I had a lot of trouble finding one. I bought mine while I was on holls in the US. I got it from "best buy" for $400 (6800GT 256MB) Thats only about 200quid. If you are willing you should try to get it thru an American company that does international shipping.

I still dont understand why you guys still pay british prices for the xact same product.

With a PC card there are no "region" issues so it dont matter where u get it from.

Why pay 300 or more quid when 200 is enough?

Click to expand...

You'd still have to pay VAT and import duty on that as well as the postie for paying up front. You will also have more problems returning the card if it's faulty too. I did look at importing a card but thought it worth the extra for peice of mind dealing with a UK company

Well-known Member

I think you got the cards mixed up. I was talking about the NVidia 6800 GT (BFG) 256.
Above that is the 6800 Ultra 256.

The ATi cards are X800XT and below that is the X800 Pro.

What a lot of people have been doing is buying the lower end ones then over clocking them to the same speeds and specs as the higher end cards.

ie, an X800 pro can be over clocked, and the extra pipes can be unlocked to be on par with the X800 XT.

The 6800 GT is much easyer to OC to be on parr with the Ultra. (using "coolbits" with the Nvidia driver)

As for import taxation, there are ways arround it. Ask a friend or relative in the US if you have one. If they send it as a prezzy they shouldnt tax you!
There must be somone you know that knows someone in the US!

Well-known Member

AML, yes I have gone down the pressie route before, and it did work fine, but we are creatures of impatience us gamers, and I'm afraid I fall into the ' I want it know' catagory of gamers. I saw it, I bought it , it's here before 10 am on saturday morning.

But aside from anything else if the card goes wrong and it's from the states, that is a nightmare, and could be without a graphics cards for weeks.

I do understand you can clock these things, but not my cup of tea, I'm a simpering coward when it comes to messing with stuff of this nature, I prefer zero risk with my hardware, I just take it out the box and plug it in.